Grain bin



April 1953 J. w. DENNING 2,635,302

GRAIN BIN Filed Sept. 28, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l L Ti INVENTOR.

75 JZ/a m BY April 1, 1953 J. w. DENNING 2,635,302

GRAIN BIN Filed Sept. 28, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR.

3 I YEW Patented Apr. 21, 1953 [TED STATS 'LE'E'E' OFFICE The farmer whoraises large quantities of grain is often confronted at harvest timewith the problem of storage. The need for such storage may not continueindefinitely, so it is desirable to hold to a minimum the expense ofproviding bins or cribs for such purpose. The use of term porary andinexpensive storage facilities for surplus grain is an acceptablesolution of the difficulty. Bins or cribs, to be satisfactory, must havesumcient rigidity to withstand the excessive pressures of largequantities of grain. Also, structures of this character must afford themaximum protection from weather in order to minimize graindeterioration.

The main objects of this invention, therefore, are to provide animproved form of rigid, weather-protecting storage structure in thenature of a bin or crib that especially is adapted for the protection ofgrain; to provide an improved structure of this kind which utilizesadvantageously a fabricated stave construction which, when not erected,occupies butlittle space and is readily transportable from place toplace; to provide an improved form and arrangement of aweather-protecting roof for grain bins or cribs of the kind noted; toprovide an improved construction and arrangement of a door for such abin or crib; and to provide a storage structure of this kind which iseasily assembled and disassembled, as occasion may require, and whichwhen disassembled is very compact and requires a very limited amount ofspace for its accommodation.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a two-section storage structure in theform of a bin made according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with parts of the roof coveringsuccessively cut away to more clearly indicate its complete formation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional View of the eaveconstruction, showing one form or book for anchoring the roof supportsto the wall, the view being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, vertical, cross-sectional "view of the doorway,taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in section, taken on line5--5'of Fig. 1, showing the ends of the lower wall section of stavesanchored to the doorway frame and the upper wall section foi stavessupported over the doorway frame;

tional view of the eave construction in which a modified form of hook isused to anchor the roof supports to the wall, the view being taken online l-! of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in section, taken on line 88 ofFig. 6.

The improved form of storage structure herein shown, and embodying thisinvention, is made up either of one or two sections A and 13 havingannular walls comprising strips of wire-connected staves. The ends ofthe upper section B are directly connected together (see Fig. l), orthey may be anchored to a doorway frame D, as in the case of the lowerwall section A where side ingress into and egress from the enclosure isdesired. Over the top of one or the other of the wall sections A or B,depending upon whether the structure consists of one or two tiers, isspread and anchored a weather-protecting roof B.

Each wall section comprises a plurality of staves It held in parallelrelationship by transverse supporting wire bands l5 to which the stavesare secured by attaching wires 16. As will be noted from Figs. 1-5, thestaves in the bin structure are disposed closely adjacent each other,separated only by a thickness sufficient to accommodate easily a singleconvolution of the attaching wire it around the supporting wire It(Figs. 1 and 4); in the crib structure of Figs. 6-8 the spacing issomewhat greater to accomiho date several convolutions of the attachingwire it for winding around the supporting wire l5. When the storagestructure comprises two wall sections, as shown in Fig. 1, the uppersection B may be supported On the lower section A as by means of S-hooksll. V

The doorway frame D comprises a pair of opposed channel bars 58connected together top and bottom by cross pieces l9 and supportingangle brackets 2i? whereto are connected the ends of the fencing sectionforming the wall A. As shown in Fig. 5, the ends of this section offencing are secured to angle brackets 28 by having bolts extend throughthe end staves I l and having the supporting wire l5 wound therearound.U- shaped hooks 22 are bonded to the inner upper cross piece as (seeFig. 4) to receive the ends of the staves of the upper wall section Band coact with the S-hooks It for effectively supporting the upper wallsection on the lower wall section A. A plurality of panels 23 of wood orthe like slide in and out of the channel bars it to provide a closurefor the doorway frame D.

The roof R comprises a plurality of truss rods, 24 over which is laid. acovering of weather proofed fabric or paper material 25 and a wirenetting 26 the perimetrical portion of which is secured to the wallsection A (or B) by a bonding wire 21. The truss rods 24 which may bearcuate shaped are disposed across the wall section A (or B) slightlyoff-center and extended therebeyond to be doubled back and hookedthereto to form an eave around the supporting Wall section. Near thecenter of the structure there are numerous points of crossing of thetruss rods where tie wires 28 may be applied thereto. The hooked ends 29may be either vertically disposed and downwardly open, as shown in Fig.3, or horizontally disposed and outwardly open, as shown in Fig. 7. Inthe one case (the bin) the rods 24 rest upon the upper ends of thestaves l4, and in the other (the crib) the rods are anchored to thesupporting wire i at points between the staves.

At least two tie wires 39 may be employed to hold the truss rods 24 isproper spaced relationship at their eave ends and provide support forthe roof covering 25 between the rods 24. The roof covering may compriseeither a treated paper or fabric 25 over which is laid a wire netting2B. When paper is used it is preferably a heavy kraft paper treated withasphalt; if fabric, it is preferably a mildew-resisting duck treatedwith a water-proofing compound and formed with reinforcing grommets.

The wire netting 2B, of course, may be of almost any light construction.However, what is commonly known as chicken wire fencing has been foundmost suitable. It is light, open mesh, and forms a sufficient protectionto the layer of material beneath it, particularly if it is paper.

As shown, the roof covering 25 may extend down below the eaves formed bythe doubling back of the the truss rods 24. The perimetrical portion ofthe roof covering is drawn in under the caves and bound by a wire 27 tothe wall section A (or B).

With equipment of this kind a grain storage bin or crib may be quicklyset up with the expenditure of very little time and labor. Moreover, itmay be set up at almost any point, where the grain is harvested or neara shipping point. When the structure has served its purpose it may bedisassembled and removed with equal facility. The fencing and the roofcovering may be rolled up and the truss rods stacked. Thus a minimumspace is required for storing the equipment until it is again needed forforming a storage bin or crib.

Various other modifications in the details of the structure andarrangement of the parts thereof may be resorted to within the spiritand coverage of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A grain bin comprising an annular enclosing wall, a plurality ofarched rods spanning the annular wall and slightly offset fromdiametrical positions, means interconnecting the rods at their points ofcrossing, a hook at each rod end in engagement with the upper portion ofthe wall, whereby the several rods constitute a roof support for thebin, a covering of flexible material dimensioned to overlie the roofsupport with the perimetrical portion of thecovering extendingtherebeyond, and means anchoring the perimetrical portion of thecovering to the wall at a point below the attachment of the rodsthereto.

2. A grain bin comprising an annular enclosing wall, a plurality ofarched rods spanning the annular wall and slightly offset fromdiametrical positions, means interconnecting the rods at their points ofcrossing, each rod having its ends doubled back upon itself to form ancave and formed with a downwardly opening hook in engagement with theupper portion of the wall, whereby the several rods constitute a roofsupport for the bin, a covering of flexible material dimensioned tooverlie the roof support with the perimetrical portion of the coveringextending therebeyond and over the eaves thereof, and means anchoringthe perimetrical portion of the covering to the wall at a point belowthe attachment of the rods thereto.

3. A grain bin comprising an annular enclosing wall, a plurality ofarched rods spanning the annular wall and slightly oiiset fromdiametrical positions, means interconnecting the rods at their points ofcrossing, each rod having its ends formed with hooks in engagement withthe upper portion of the wall, whereby the several rods constitute aroof support for the bin, a covering of flexible material dimensioned tooverlie the roof support with the perimetrical portion of the coveringextending therebeyond, a sheet of wire fabric of substantially the samedimension as the covering arranged thereover, and means anchoring theperimetrical portion of the c0vering and the wire fabric to the wall ata point below the attachment of the rods thereto.

4. A grain bin comprising an annular enclosing wall, a plurality ofarched rods spanning the annular wall and slightly oiiset fromdiametrical positions, means interconnecting the rods at their points ofcrossing, each end of each rod formed with a hook in engagement with theupper por-- tion of the wall, whereby the several rods constitute a roofsupport for the bin, a covering of flexible material dimensioned tooverlie the roof support with the perimetrical portion of the coveringextending therebeyond, a sheet of wire fabric of substantially the samedimension as the covering arranged thereover, and a wire closelyembracing the covering and fabric sheet at a point below the attachmentof the rod to the wall for anchoring the covering and fabric sheetthereto.

5. A grain bin comprising an annular enclosing wall, a plurality ofarched rods spanning the annular wall and slightly offset fromdiametrical positions, means interconnecting the rods at their points ofcrossing, a hook at each rod end in engagement with the upper portion ofsaid wall,

whereby the several rods constitute a roof support for the bin, one ormore wires fixedly interconnecting the rods adjacent their outer ends, acovering of flexible material dimensioned to overlie the roof supportwith the perimetrical portion of the covering extending therebeyond, andmeans anchoring the perimetrical portion of the covering to the wall ata point below the attachment of the rods thereto.

6. A grain bin comprising a strip of wireconnected upright stavesarranged to provide a horizontally-flexible annular enclosing wall, aplurality of arched rods slightly offset from diametrical positions withthe rods crossing. each other and spanning the annular wall toconstitute a roof support therefor, a wire closely surrounding theupright staves of the wall near its top and secured thereto, a hook atthe end of each rod in engagement with the wire, thereby to rigidify theannular wall of the bin, a cover ing of flexible material overlying theroof support and extending therebeyond and downwardly to the outside ofthe hooked ends of the rods and therebelow, and means anchoringthe'covering to the wall at a point below the roof support.

7. A grain bin comprising a strip of wireconnected upright stavesarranged to provide a horizontally-flexible annular enclosing wall, aplurality of arched rods slightly ofiset from diametrical positions withthe rods crossing each other and spanning the annular wall to provide aroof support therefor, means at opposite ends of each rod in engagementwith one face of the annular wall thereby to rigidify its structure in ahorizontal plane, a covering of flexible material overlying the roofsupport and extending therebeyond and. downwardly to the outside of theends of the rods and therebelow, and means anchoring the covering to theWall at a point below the roof support.

8. A grain bin comprising a strip of Wireconnected upright stavesarranged to provide a horizontally-flexible annular enclosing wall, aplurality of arched rods slightly offset from diametrical positions withthe rods crossing each other and spanning the annular wall to provide aroof support therefor, a downwardly facing hook at each end of each rodin engagement with inner and outer faces of the annular wall, thereby torigidify its structure in a horizontal plane, a covering of flexiblematerial overlying the roof support and extending therebeyond anddownwardly to the outside of the ends of the rods and therebelow, andmeans anchoring the covering to the wall at a point below the roofsupport.

9. A grain bin comprising an annular enclosing wall, a plurality ofarched rods spaced around and spanning the annular wall, the rodscrossing each other at points adjacent to the center of the grain binwith each point spaced from the other points over a relatively largearea, means interconnecting the rods at their points of crossing, a hookat each rod end in engagement with the upper portion of the wall,whereby the several rods constitute a roof support for the bin, acovering of flexible material dimensioned to overlie the roof supportwith the perimetrical portion ofthe covering extending therebeyond, andmeans anchoring the perimetrical portion of the covering to the wall ata point below the attachment of the rods thereto.

J. WAYNE DENNING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 500,459 Adam June 27, 1893 1,065,237 Graham June 17, 19131,265,442 Fitch May 7, 1918 1,371,897 Hoy Mar. 15, 1921 1,516,597 GraverNov. 25, 1924 1,777,028 Berbeck Sept. 30, 1930 1,841,360 Brandl Jan. 19,1932 1,867,272 Larsen July 12, 1932 2,289,832 Flesner July 14, 1942

